Know your local health services this Christmas

If you become unwell or are injured make sure you choose the right NHS service to make sure you get the best treatment

If you become unwell over the Christmas and New Year period do you know which local NHS service to use?

There will be changes to opening times for local healthcare services over Christmas and New Year, including closures on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

However, there will always be somewhere to go for medical treatment and advice appropriate to your symptoms.

Dr Lynn Hampson, local GP and NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group lead for planned and unplanned healthcare, said: “While no one wants to become ill over the festive period, unfortunately, it can happen. It’s important that you know where you can go for the right treatment and advice depending on what your symptoms are.

“Winter is a very busy time for healthcare services, particularly A&E departments. It’s therefore vital that you choose well to help us manage demand and save lives.”

Pharmacy:

Your local pharmacist can give expert, confidential advice or medicines for minor ailments such as coughs and colds, asthma and eczema, some allergies and period pain.

Pharmacies open on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day are as follows:

Medicx Pharmacy, Wellfield Health Centre, Oldham Road, Rochdale, OL11 1AD

• Christmas Day (25 December) 12noon-6pm
• Boxing Day (26 December) 12noon-10pm
• Boxing Day (26 December) 12noon-6pm 

Asda Pharmacy, Asda store, The Old Cricket Ground, Dane Street, Rochdale, OL12 6XT

• Boxing Day (26 December) 9am-6pm
• New Year’s Day (1 January) 10am-4pm

NHS Choices www.nhs.uk and NHS 111

NHS Choices is a dedicated website where you can find up-to-date and expert advice on a range of illnesses and complaints, as well as find your nearest NHS services, such as GPs, dentists, pharmacists and walk-in centres. Visit NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk.

Call NHS 111 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for fast, free medical advice when it’s not an emergency.

GP services

GP practices will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. For urgent out-of-hours advice or to book an appointment, call BARDOC on 0161 763 4242.
Minor eye conditions service

Opticians offering this service will be operating varying opening times over the Christmas and New Year period. Please visit www.hmrmecs.co.uk for full details.

Walk-in centres and Urgent Care Centre

These services can offer assessment and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries that aren’t serious enough to require a visit to A&E. No appointment is necessary.

Middleton Health Centre, Middleton Shopping Centre, M24 4EL (0161 655 7434): Open 8am-8pm, seven days a week

Rochdale Urgent Care Centre, Rochdale Infirmary, Whitehall Street, OL12 0NB: Open 24 hours, seven days a week

A&E and 999 services are for emergency and life-threatening conditions only.